Electrical power generation from asymmetric greenhouse gas capture

Abstract

Capturing greenhouse gases (GHGs) while generating electricity offers a new paradigm for climate mitigation. Here, we report a GHG-driven energy harvesting system, termed a gas capture and electricity generator (GCEG), that directly converts the adsorption of NOx and CO2 into electrical power. The device integrates a carbon black-coated mulberry paper electrode with an asymmetrically dip-coated polyacrylamide hydrogel, enabling selective gas adsorption and voltage generation via modulation of the electrical double layer. Upon exposure to 50 ppm NO2, the GCEG delivers 0.8 V and 55 µA, scaling to 3.8 V and 140 µA through series and parallel integration. Infrared spectroscopy and atomistic simulations reveal that hydrogen-bond-driven gas–hydrogel interactions govern the energy harvesting mechanism. By integrating gas capture and electricity generation within a single self-powered platform, this approach provides a scalable, low-energy pathway for mitigating multiple GHGs and offers a promising strategy toward carbon neutrality.